Frisch School

Frisch School
Location
W. 120 Century Road
Paramus, NJ 07652
Information
Type Private High School, Yeshiva
Established 1972
Founder R. Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch
Principal Rabbi Eli Ciner
Assistant principals Rabbi David Goldfischer
Elaine Keigher (/kiːr/)
Rabbi Joshua Wald
Headmaster Dr. Kalman Stein
Faculty 65.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades 9 - 12
Enrollment 562 (as of 2013-14)[1]
Student to teacher ratio 8.6:1[1]
Color(s)      Red and
     White
Team name Cougars
Accreditation Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Publication FrischBits
Newspaper The Struggle
Website www.frisch.org

The Frisch School, commonly known as Frisch (/'frɪʃ/), was founded in 1972 by Rabbi Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch and is a coeducational yeshiva high school located in Paramus in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, which adheres to the tenets and practices of Modern Orthodox Judaism. Most of the students are from the Jewish communities of Teaneck, Englewood, Fair Lawn, and Monsey, with some commuting from New York City. The school is named for founder Alfred Frisch who owned the land on which the original campus was situated prior to the school's inception in 1972.

The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1992. Its accreditation expires in 2022.[2]

As of the 2013-14 school year, the school had an enrollment of 562 students and 65.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.6:1.[1]

Campus

For the 2007-08 school year, Frisch moved to a new campus at 120 West Century Road in Paramus. Frisch purchased this site, 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land and an 115,000-square-foot (10,700 m2) office building, from Hewlett-Packard and renovated what had been an office building, constructing an 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) addition. The campus includes 41 classrooms, a learning center, six science laboratories, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a two-story library, music and art studios, a Beit Midrash, and a publications room. Outdoors, the campus has a softball field, two tennis courts, a basketball-hockey, and a soccer field encircled by a running track. Indoors, the building is wired for a modern computer network and cutting-edge technology.[3]

The school formerly resided at E. 243 Frisch Court in Paramus, on a 7-acre (28,000 m2) plot of land. The Frisch Court property was leased to the girls yeshiva high school of Bat Torah.[4]

History

Founded in 1972, by Abraham Kremer, Marvin Eiseman, Rabbi Menacham Meier and Alfred & Ethel Frisch, with a mere dozen students, the school has since grown to include over 650 students. The class of 2005 consisted of over 160 students, a number which is rapidly rising. The class of 2007 had 165 students. The school began accepting smaller numbers of students into the freshman class, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year.

Rabbi Menachem Meier served as the school's first principal and was responsible for the school's early development. Rabbi Meier was awarded a sabbatical in 1985 which originally was designed to be the first year of his Aliya to Israel. Rabbi Stuart Zweiter, the associate principal served as acting principal during that year and was recommended to take on the principal's position permanently. However, Rabbi Meier did not in the end make Aliya and returned to his position. Rabbi Zweiter moved on to become principal of HAFTR High School. Rabbi Saul Zucker succeeded Rabbi Meier and served as principal for one year, followed by Rabbi Dr. John Krug as interim principal before Dr. Kalman Stein, the current principal, took the job in 1999. Under Dr. Stein's direction, the school has experienced tremendous growth. Rabbi Eli Ciner will be transitioned into the principal position effective July 2014, while Dr. Stein will be named Headmaster.

In 1975, The Frisch School's self-study team was required to “formulate a statement of philosophy for the yeshiva.” This statement has remained unchanged. The statement describes The Frisch School as a “unique educational institution... to promote the values and study of the Judaic heritage as defined and evolved in the [Jewish] Written and Oral Law.” In addition, the school promotes the “wellsprings of Judaic values...[which] are: (a) the dignity of the Human Being... [and] (b) The sanctity of the Jewish people.”

Courses

For the first two years at Frisch, a student's courses are set according to the school's core curriculum. This includes, for both years: An elective (Spanish, French, Latin, or engineering), a hard science (biology in 9th grade and chemistry in 10th grade), English, History (World History in 9th grade and American History in 10th grade), Mathematics, Hebrew Language, Torah (the Pentateuch), Nach (Nevi'im "Prophets" and Ketuvim "Writings"), and Talmud (Jewish Law).

In 11th grade, students have the option of either furthering a third year of a language or taking a different elective. Electives include five Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses offered to 11th grade students (AP Physics B, AP Art History, AP Statistics, AP United States History, and AP English Language and Composition).

In 12th grade, as in 11th grade, a student may continue with the language which they had previously been taking at the AP Level. Electives available to 12th graders include: AP Macroeconomics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Psychology, AP European History, AP Physics C, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, Latin Literature; Music Theory, AP Studio Art, AP Art History, AP Computer Science A, Psychology, Astronomy, and more. In addition, 12th graders are allowed to choose a Nach elective in place of the traditional Nach class offered for the first three years. Nach electives include a variety of classes, ranging from Philosophy of Prayer to Arab-Israeli Conflict.

Extracurricular activities

Sports

There are twenty-four sports teams in total. There are four basketball teams, one baseball team, two boys floor hockey teams, one girls floor hockey team, one boys Wrestling team, which consecutively won 5 Wittenberg wrestling titles. There are three volleyball teams, three soccer teams, two swimming teams, three softball teams, one bowling team, and two track teams. Frisch also has the first ever Yeshivah Ice Hockey team

Academic teams

Frisch has many academic teams including chess, debate, college bowl, Torah bowl (boys and girls teams), Chidon HaTanach (International Bible Contest), Model United Nations, Model, Congress, Mock Trial and business bowl team. Like the sports teams, most academic teams compete in the Yeshiva league; except for the debate team, which competes among local public schools.

Clubs and activities

Frisch has over forty clubs and activities. They include: Yeshiva University Thursday Night Mishmar(bible studies), Debate, Model United Nations, Model Congress, Book Club, Film Club,Performance ensemble, jazz ensemble, choir, Science Club, Engineering Club, Chess, Junior Statesmen of America, Israel Action Committee (A.I.S.A.C.), Finance Club, Choir, Acting the Classics, Poetry Club, Dance Team, College Bowl, Mock Trial, Community Service (Chessed) Club, RealSchool, Photography Club, Improv Club, Drama Society (Which in 2014, will be The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)( a parody of all of Sheakspere in an hour and a half)" , in 2013 was "The Foreigner", and in 2012, was "Laughter on the 23rd floor"), Philosophy Club, Torah Bowl, Chidon HaTanach (International Bible Contest), Pre-Med Society, which incorporates all the medical fields, The Geek Squad, numerous publications, and many others.

Student Council

The Frisch School Student council consists of three class representatives from each grade and four members of an executive board, one of whom is president. Elections are held in May for executive board and for the class representatives of rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Freshman elect their class representatives in October.

Shiriyah

Once a year, the Frisch school has a week-long festival known as Shiriyah. Each team, i.e. each grade, competes in trivia competitions, hallway design, slow song, fast song, stomp, and video. Every year, each grade is assigned a theme which must be worked into every presentation. Each grade has two generals, a boy and a girl, and at least four captains. Shiriyah culminates at the end of the week with the final presentation, where students and parents are welcome to see slow song, fast song, and the junior and senior stomps. However, only students and teachers see the videos and the freshman and sophomore stomps.[5]

Administrators

Core members of the school's administration are:[6]

Post high school

Frisch provides a college preparatory education and all students attend a four-year college after graduation. Additionally, a large proportion of the student body, varying from year to year, spends a year in Israel post graduation, prior to college. Nearly two-thirds of the class of 2007's 161 graduates studied in Israel during their post-graduation year.[8]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 School Data for Frisch Yeshiva High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ Frisch School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools. Accessed September 2, 2011.
  3. ↑ Our New Campus, accessed October 12, 2006
  4. ↑ Goldrich, Lois. "Bat Torah headed for Paramus", Jewish Standard, May 2, 2008. Accessed June 23, 2008. "While Bat Torah, which Bak said "has very high academic aspirations," will rent the whole building, the school hopes ultimately to share the facility with other groups. "We’ll want to remain small," said Bak, indicating that she would not want more than 40 students per grade."
  5. ↑ Shiriyah 5771, Frisch School, March 24, 2011. Accessed January 15, 2012.
  6. ↑ Administration, Frisch School. Accessed November 11, 2015.
  7. 1 2 Message from the Headmaster and Principal, The Frisch School. Accessed November 13, 2014.
  8. ↑ Steinbach, Rachel. "Valedictorians have common elements, but their messages vary", Jewish Standard, July 6, 2007. Accessed July 8, 2007. "Of the 160 students who graduated from Frisch, 105 of them will study in Israel next year."
  9. ↑ Mooney, John. "2 RHODES SCHOLARS, SO FAR -- A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION CHALLENGE", The Record (Bergen County), February 6, 1997. Accessed November 11, 2015. "A year ago, the scholarship went to Jeremy Dauber, Class of '90, now in his first of two years at Oxford."
  10. ↑ Siemaszko, Corky. "EERIE LINKS BETWEEN 2 N.J. WOMEN", New York Daily News, February 26, 1996. Accessed August 19, 2008. "The New Jersey women killed yesterday in a bus bombing in Jerusalem followed in the tragic footsteps of a former classmate Alisa Flatow. Sara Duker was one year ahead of Flatow at the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, N.J."
  11. ↑ Park, Pearl J. "HE LEARNS POLITICAL SCIENCE FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE -- FRISCH SENIOR IS LOBBYIST", The Record (Bergen County), October 16, 1991. Accessed February 20, 2008. "Frisch School senior Ryan Karben has strong political convictions -- and an equally strong desire to advocate them."
  12. ↑ Hyman, Vicki. "Ivanka Trump to convert to Judaism to wed Jared Kushner", The Star-Ledger, November 5, 2008. Accessed September 2, 2011. "Kushner, a graduate of the Frisch School, a coed Jewish high school in Paramus, was raised in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, which frowns -- to put it mildly -- on intermarriages."
  13. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Arthur Lenk", The Record (Bergen County), May 3, 1998, accessed April 16, 2007. "I grew up in Teaneck and graduated from Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus."
  14. ↑ Leichman, Abigail. "North Jerseyan named JTS dean", The Record (Bergen County), February 8, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2015.
  15. ↑ Rosenblatt, Gary. "Joining ‘Gangs’ to Work With the Best: Executive producer Rick Schwartz savors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Martin Scorsese and others.", The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, January 2, 2003. Accessed October 22, 2011. "Schwartz said that while the rest of his family is 'quite Orthodox, I am still finding my way, but I no longer take my Jewish education for granted.' He graduated from the Moriah day school in Englewood and Frisch yeshiva high school in Paramus, N.J., and said he increasingly appreciates the rootedness his traditional Jewish lifestyle gives him."
  16. ↑ Dickter, Adam. "Sofer Sex", The Jewish Week, September 19, 2003. Accessed September 2, 2011. "It's not a likely career path for a former student of Achei Temimim, a Lubavitch grade school in Massachusetts, or the Frisch High School in Paramus. Sofer's father, Martin, is an Orthodox rabbi, as anyone who peruses her online biography or recent media interviews will learn."
  17. ↑ Staff. "Behind the Jewcan Sam controversy: Controvesial Plastic Surgeon Offers Free Surgery To Jewish Singles", South Florida Jewish Home, March 29, 2012. Accessed August 26, 2015. "I went to A.S.H.A.R. in Monsey, Moriah in Englewood, NJ; spent freshman year of high school in Public School (Tappan Zee High School), where incidentally I was teased pretty regularly for my 'big Jewish Schnoz'; then went to the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, New Jersey."
  18. ↑ Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. Acecssed September 2, 2011. "She is a graduate of the Frisch Yeshiva High School and Barnard College and was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College."
  19. ↑ Bloom, Nate. "Noshes: Worth Checking Out", The Jewish Standard, June 29, 2007. "Spektor... went to middle school yeshiva in New York and, for her first two years in high school, she went to the Frisch School in Paramus."
  20. ↑ Engelmayer, Shammai. "A dream come true", The Jewish Standard, October 26, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2015. "One of the most interesting from a sectarian perspective is Yashar Books, located in Brooklyn and the brainchild of Gil Student, who grew up locally and who graduated from the Solomon Schechter Day School and the Frisch high school."

External links

Coordinates: 40°56′03″N 74°04′49″W / 40.934173°N 74.080172°W / 40.934173; -74.080172

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